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Eli Arnold ’06 enthusiastically accepted the opportunity to
study abroad at Corpus Christi, the alma mater of James Edward
Oglethorpe, Georgia’s founder and namesake of Oglethorpe
University.
Eli, a senior from Franklin, Tennessee, with an independently
planned major in archaeology, was inducted into Corpus Christi
on January 12 during a luncheon with the college’s president,
Sir Timothy Lancaster. Earlier that week, he was inducted into
the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library.
“We had to read a pledge out loud that we would not steal,
mark in or burn any of the works,” Eli explains, noting that
some of the works date back to the 16th century. The library
maintains a copy of every book published in the United Kingdom,
much like the U.S. Library of Congress. In addition to research
for his two courses, Biblical Archaeology and Paleolithic
Art/Archaeology, Eli hopes to explore the University Archives
for information on James Edward Oglethorpe.
Eli has immersed himself in other cultures while at
Oglethorpe, going to Greece last summer and Italy over spring
break with Oglethorpe University Students Abroad. “I was a
history major, but after seeing the ruins I decided that I
wanted to do hands-on history,” Eli said. “There is no way to
study art and archaeology without seeing and touching the sites
and pictures.”
“I think everyone needs to venture out of their comfort zone
for a while. Studying abroad can be scary and make one homesick,
but I am learning skills that I will need for grad school and a
life in academia,” Eli said. “Apart from the enriching
experience of living in a foreign country, I am making friends
and contacts that might help me in the future.” |
